Contemporary Asian Art

Melissa Chiu & Benjamin Genocchio Thames & Hudson

There has been a lot said about Asian art over the past 15 years. As we moved into the Naughties, the Asian art market was booming with artists like Cao Guo-Qiang and Takashi Murakami becoming household names overnight. This new compendium provides a critical reference on contemporary Asian art, surveying art created in Asia or by Asian artists from the 1990s onwards.

Beautifully illustrated, the book is organised by four themes: Rethinking Tradition, Politics, Society and the State, Asian Pop, Consumerism and Stereotypes, and Urban Nature. Instead of organising the book chronologically, the presentation of the artists engages with current trends and the socio-political and economic situation. As the world order shifts from the 20th century being the “American Century” to a new order in the 21st century, Asian art has captured this schism.

This collection offers an intelligent overview covering the full scope of current artistic practice: from calligraphy, painting, drawing, performance, installation, to video art. This book is a must-have.

Shirley Stevenson

Aesthetica Magazine

This article was originally published in Issue 37 of Aesthetica Magazine.